Heroes and Villains
by Rapey Lemons
Summary: A modern superhero AU, featuring a more villainous and morally gray Elsa. Story is dark, possibly angsty. Elsanna, Incest.
1. Chapter 1

"That's it for today, Miss Elsa. I want you to complete the assigned readings and homework, then start coming up with ideas for the side project I mentioned earlier."

The little blonde girl nodded without looking up as she tugged on her braid. She was focused on solving the problem in front of her, the little equations and numbers clicking through her head as she wrote down the solution.

The tutor took that as his cue to leave. He quietly backed out the doorway, softly closing the door behind him as he exited the room.

The tutor made little noise as he walked down the hallway toward the main living room, where the young girl's mother and father reclined on a couch with a laptop in each of their laps. They both glanced up as he entered the room, neither of them closing their laptops screens as they shifted their focus toward him.

"Progress report?" the father asked. "I know we just hired you, but it would be great to hear some feedback."

The tutor smiled. "She's learning very quickly, especially considering her age. At this rate we might even be able to finish…"

* * *

She could hear the soft murmurs of conversation from the living room.

"…we might even…"

Anna didn't wait for him to finish his sentence before she had dropped the tablet in her hands and leapt out of her chair, beginning to sprint toward Elsa's room. She slid to a stop in front of the door and entered with absolutely no hesitation.

Elsa turned around, startled, before she recognized who it was. She gave Anna a small smile before returning to the work in front of her. Anna was already on her bed and jumping up and down as she waited for Elsa to finish.

"Come on, let's go and play already," Anna complained. "Can't you hurry up?"

"Almost done," Elsa promised her.

"Why do you have so much work anyway? My teachers don't give _me_ that much homework."

Elsa rolled her eyes. "You're three years younger than me and I have a personal tutor. I'm in fifth grade and you're only in second grade. And besides, this stuff is fun, too." _And I'm going to need to learn a lot if I'm going to help run Mother and Father's company_, she added silently.

Anna bounced on higher on the bed, each bounce granting her a better view through the window in the room. "I want to explore the forest," she said excitedly.

Elsa gave her a disbelieving look. "There are six inches of snow outside, and you want to go explore the forest? Why don't we just play some video games together, or—"

"Boring!" Anna interrupted. "Snow is awesome! We could build a snowman! Make a snow fortress! The possibilities are endless!"

Elsa glanced out the window and saw that it was still bright outside, the afternoon sun shining down and glancing off of the snow. "Anna, you know Father won't let us go outside," she said, attempting to reason with her. "It's too cold and—"

Anna jumped off of the bed and wrapped her arms against Elsa's neck as she looked up into her face. "Please?" she begged. "I'll wear warm clothes and we can come back before it gets dark."

Elsa was certain that her heart had melted into a pile of mush as Anna pressed her face against her cheek. "Alright, alright," Elsa conceded.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Anna squealed, hugging Elsa even tighter.

Elsa attempted to speak coherently. "But—" she fumbled "—But you need to listen to me, alright? If I say that something is dangerous, or that we have to go back, you need to follow my instructions. Okay?"

Anna stood straight, her hands clasped behind her back. "Yes, Elsa!" she grinned impishly.

"Then let's get dressed," Elsa said, opening the closet.

She pulled out a thick parka and a scarf and handed the two items to Anna. Even though the sun was out and the snow was already beginning to melt, she wanted to make sure that Anna stayed safe and warm. While Anna was putting the winter clothing on, she found some suitable clothes for herself. The cold never really bothered her, but she put on a sweater anyway to avoid being scolded by her parents if they saw her.

The two stealthily crept down the hallway and then down the flight of stairs, pausing every few seconds or so to make sure that their parents were still talking. They grabbed the boots next to the sliding doors and shoved them on, then slid the doors open and slipped outside.

Before Elsa could even react, Anna had tossed parka and scarf onto the porch and sprinted off toward the forest.

"Anna!" Elsa whispered as loudly as she could.

Anna's only response was a giggle as she continued running toward the tree line. Elsa wanted to shout at her to come back and put her winter clothes back on, but her parents were still in the living room.

Instead, she could only roll her eyes and scoop up the discarded clothing, putting them on as she chased after Anna. She stepped in the footsteps that Anna had created in the snow, allowing her to quickly catch up to her little sister. A bit of snow found its way into her boots, but she didn't mind.

Anna was waiting for her at the edge of the forest. She already had a large snowball in her hands that was continuing to grow as she packed snow onto it. Her rosy cheeks were set in a grin as she dropped the chunk of snow onto the ground and began rolling.

"Aren't you cold?" Elsa asked.

"Nope," Anna responded, her breath steaming into the air. "I'm not scared of the cold. But it looks like you are! Why are you wearing so much?"

Elsa frowned a bit. "Because I couldn't run while carrying your coat, silly, so I put it on and—"

A snowball hit her in the chest, exploding and splattering her face with slush. She sputtered as Anna covered her mouth and chortled in delight. Spurred into action, she ran up to Anna, grabbed the large ball of snow at Anna's feet, then hefted it above herself, smirking.

Anna screamed in mock terror and turned to run as Elsa pretended to throw it at her. The two sisters chased each other and threw snowballs at one other for the little while longer, then stopped and started to make a snowman.

Elsa checked the house and the large backyard, making sure that their parents hadn't discovered their absence. She let out a sigh of relief as she saw that the only sign of people was a single silver car parked on the street, with no sign of her parents nearby.

Working together, they rolled massive snowballs and stacked them on top of each other. Elsa found five black rocks that she used for eyes and buttons, and Anna stuck two sticks into its sides as arms.

They stood back and admired their work.

"It needs something else," Anna muttered, scrunching up her face.

"Like what?"

Anna grabbed another handful of sticks and stuck them into the top of the snowman's head, then carved a large goofy smile onto its face.

"There we go!" she exclaimed, then hugged the snowman.

Elsa wanted to laugh at the scraggly sticks the snowman had as "hair", but she didn't want to hurt Anna's feelings. Instead, she walked up behind Anna and affectionately played with her braids.

"It looks great," Elsa assured her.

Anna's face grew a little crestfallen.

"Did I say something wrong?" Elsa asked, panicked.

Anna shook her head sadly. "I just wish I could make him come to life."

Elsa blinked. "What?"

Anna waved with her hands. "Just like that! Poof! And he comes alive, singing, and dancing, and we can be best buddies and keep each other company when you're with your tutor!"

Elsa felt a pang in her heart as she realized that she couldn't always be there for Anna. "Sorry, Anna, but we don't have superpowers like those people you see on TV."

"Or like the kids that go to Sky High?"

"Anna!" Elsa scolded her. "You're not supposed to talk about that. We aren't even supposed to know about the school, and we definitely shouldn't have been eavesdropping on Father."

"Okay, okay," Anna said, patting the snow off of her mittens. "Then if we can't make him come to life, we can at least _name_ him. What do you want to call him?"

Elsa started walking around the snowman, pretending to think hard as she observed the pile of snow. "Let's see… hmm, well, he's icy and cold… why don't we call him O—"

She was jolted out of the act she was putting on when Anna gave a jerk and fell back, a startled cry escaping from her lips. Elsa immediately ran toward her, her heart pounding.

"Anna?" Elsa gasped. "Are you okay?"

Anna didn't respond as her body convulsed. Elsa looked her over and frantically scanned her body, trying to find the source of the problem. She noticed two metal rods sticking out of Anna's skirt, thin metal wires extending from the rods and two spots of blood beginning to form at the contact points.

_A taser?_ Elsa thought to herself. She felt bewildered as she considered the implications. _What's going on?_

She cursed her stupidity as two more metal barbs imbedded themselves into the parka she was wearing, making her stumble and fall back as a man stepped into the clearing with two tasers in his hands.

He was wearing a slightly dirty dark wool coat and ski pants. A ragged belt around his waist held two taser holsters, a pistol, and an ammo pouch. After holstering the tasers and pulling out a handful of zip ties, he began tying Anna's wrist and ankles together.

It took Elsa a moment to recover from her shock and realize that she hadn't been stunned. The extra layer the parka provided had kept the barbs away from her skin, and the man hadn't noticed yet.

She stuck a hand under the snow and searched around, hoping to find a rock or a branch that she could use. After a few seconds of blindly reaching around, her fingers closed around a fist-sized rock. She carefully got up, making sure to disturb the wires attached to the taser as little as possible, then threw the rock with all of her might at the man's head.

The man roared in pain the rock smashed into his eye socket. The bone cracked and the sharp edges of the rock flayed bits of skin off, causing a torrent of blood to immediately begin pouring out of the cuts.

Elsa held her breath as she waiting for him to fall, or collapse, or _something_. But instead he looked around, one hand held to his bloody eye while his good eye twitched with rage.

Elsa began to panic as the man dropped the taser attached to Anna onto the ground next to her Anna's twitching body. He began advancing toward her, his biceps bulging as he clenched the zip ties in his fist.

Elsa scrambled to her feet and began backing up, but the man closed the distance quickly and aimed a kick at her side, knocking her to the ground. He ignored her gags of pain as he ripped her parka off and slammed the taser into her stomach.

Elsa had never felt pain like this before. Her abdominal muscles involuntarily contracted as the electric current passed through her, a burning sensation at the point of contact. Even after the taser was removed she could barely breathe as she tried to force air into her lungs.

By the time she had stopped spasming, the man was already grabbing her wrist and pulling her along. Anna was thrown over his shoulder like a rag doll, limp and unresponsive after being tasered.

Dazed and confused, Elsa tripped on roots and the uneven ground underneath the snow as she was dragged through the forest.

"Anna?" Elsa whispered. "Can you hear me?"

Anna didn't respond. Elsa realized that she had to buy time, had to do something so that her parents would have more time to search for them. She let her legs drag in the snow and began biting and scratching at the hand that was crushing her wrist.

The man let out an unintelligible curse and threw her to the ground, then pulled the taser out again and delivered another shock. It was weaker this time, and Elsa remained conscious enough to continue resisting as she refused to move.

The man scowled with frustration, the ugly expression terrifying Elsa far more than his anger had. Her blood ran cold as he reached into his belt and pulled out his pistol. He cocked the gun with a jerky movement and pointed the barrel toward Elsa's head.

Elsa raised her trembling hands into the air, trying to signal her surrender as she watched the man decide whether or not he was going to shoot her.

And then he cursed and spun around, immediately taking off toward the car he had parked on the side of the road.

The surge of relief and guilt that followed nearly overwhelmed her, but she still tried to get up, her weakened body protesting as she used a nearby tree for support. Her legs failed her a few times, tears of panic and frustration springing into her eyes as she watched the man widen the distance between them, Anna still on his shoulder.

_I couldn't save her_, Elsa despaired, watching the shrinking figure between the trees._ I wasn't strong or smart enough. This is all my fault. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I shouldn't have let her play in the forest without any adults watching over us. I should never have let her go, and now I'm paying the price for my mistake._

Elsa stared as she watched the man carrying Anna tumble to the ground as a gunshot cracked through the air, blood blossoming on the back of his thigh. He twisted toward the direction of the gunshot as he sat on the ground, Anna sprawled across his lap. Elsa followed his gaze and saw her father holding a scoped rifle, a blank expression on his face.

In an instant, the man had pulled out his pistol and pressed it against Anna's head.

"Get back!" he screamed, even as his blood soaked into the snow. "Put the fucking gun down!"

Elsa's father froze for a moment, then lowered his rifle, unwilling to take his chances. He set it down on the ground carefully, making sure not to make sudden moves, and began backing up.

_What are you doing?_ Elsa wanted to scream. _Shoot him, shoot him!_

But even she realized that Anna was too close to the man, that taking a shot would be too risky, especially considering how Anna was laid out against the man's body as he lay on the forest floor.

But the man didn't seem to care that her father had put his gun down. He scanned the forest wildly, chest heaving, as he realized that he was trapped. His thigh wound was bleeding even more profusely, the bullet having nicked a major artery.

Elsa could see the way his body tensed, the way his grip tightened on the gun as he considered killing Anna as he bled out.

"No!" Elsa cried out, trying to attract his attention. _Anything to stop him from hurting Anna._

She finally managed to heave herself up and stumble forward, her feet finding little purchase in the melting snow. As she ran, her foot wedged into a space between the tree roots underneath the snow and she immediately sprawled to the ground, a spiking pain shooting up her leg. She barely managed to raise her arms in time to avoid smashing her face into a large rock as she rolled through the snow, particles of snow and dirt obstructing her vision.

A gunshot echoed through the air. Elsa collapsed to the ground as she realized what had just happened, her attempts at freeing her foot abandoned as her heart clenched and her mind went numb. She began to sob, each breath she took consumed entirely with grief, all of her strength fleeing her limbs.

She had been powerless and useless, and she knew it.

After what seemed like an eternity later, Elsa was still crying as someone grabbed her ankle. She didn't bother to resist or struggle even as pain radiated from the injured area.

"Shhh," a voice said. "It's okay. You'll be fine, Elsa."

Elsa realized that it was her father's voice speaking. The moment her ankle was freed she immediately flipped herself over and looked up, the sun blinding her for a moment before she was able to recognize her father's face.

She clutched him and sobbed into his shirt. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she cried. "It was all my fault."

There was a pause before her responded, his voice thick with emotion. "Oh, Elsa. Don't blame yourself. Anna is fine. Your mother and I—"

"What?" Elsa interrupted, stepping back. "Anna's okay?"

Her father gave her a sad but relieved smile. "Yes, she's fine. Your mother stopped the kidnapper before he was able to pull the trigger."

Elsa whirled around, fresh tears flowing down her cheeks. A moan of relief escaped her as she saw Anna in her mother's arms. She barely noticed the blood splattered over the front of her mother's shirt and the handgun tucked into her waistband as she ran toward her sister.

Anna's zip ties had already been cut, her face buried in her mother's chest as she trembled. Elsa frowned. _She should be holding me. I tried to save her. I nearly died for you, Anna!_

She broke herself out of her reverie, realizing that she was thinking illogically. Reaching forward with a shaky hand, she moved to touch Anna, to make sure that she was alive, that her brains hadn't been scattered across the ground. But the moment she made contact, Anna let out a little whimper and tightened her grip, reflexively drawing away, making Elsa pull back as though she had been burnt.

_No. I don't deserve her. Even Anna blames me,_ Elsa thought sadly. But she couldn't break down now, not in front of her parents. _Don't let them see your tears, Elsa. You have to be strong. You have to get stronger if you want to be able to protect Anna next time._

Her father's gloved hands clasped her shoulders as he leaned down. "Let's get back inside, Elsa," he suggested. "I need to check on your ankle, make sure you haven't received any permanent injuries."

Elsa nodded, concealing her pain as she slowly walked back to the house, her arm around her father's shoulder as he supported her. By the time they had gotten back inside, she was beginning to shiver, not from the cold but because her adrenaline rush was fading.

The four of them sat down on the couch in front of the fireplace. Her father's words barely registered as she stared at Anna, who was still cradled in her mother's arms.

He repeated his command. "Roll up your pants," he said, his voice gentle. "Tell me if this hurts, alright?"

Elsa nodded as he gently rotated her ankle. Her ankle was only a little sore, and nothing was torn or broken. But the places where the shock had been delivered were still tender and her muscles were still weak and quivering.

Anna was sitting in her mother's lap and beginning to nod off as her mother sung a quiet lullaby to her. She had taken out thick gauze and was cleaning the puncture wounds the taser barbs had left behind with alcohol.

Elsa managed to tear her gaze away from Anna and instead began to sort out her thoughts about what had just happened.

Elsa suddenly realized how fortuitous the arrival of her parents' was. "How did you find us?" she asked.

Her father rolled her pant legs back down and sat next to her. "There are little trackers on your clothes that tell us when you get too far from the house," he explained.

Her mother sighed shakily. "I didn't think we would need them."

Elsa held her head in her hands as she realized how close she had come to disaster.

"We need to have a talk," her father said. He nodded toward her mother. "Why don't you put Anna to bed and meet us here? I think Elsa is old enough to hear this."

Her mother nodded before starting up the stairs.

Her father turned to her. "Elsa, how much do you know about what we do?"

Elsa hesitated. "Well, I know you're the CEO of a hardware and software company. And…"

"And?" her father prompted. "Is that it?"

"I think you have something to do with superheroes," she said carefully. "I, I didn't mean to overhear your conversation, I promise, I—"

"it's fine, Elsa," he father assured her. "We were going to tell you soon either way."

After pulling off his gloves, he grabbed the laptop from the table and flipped it open. Elsa watched in fascination as he brought up schematics and blueprints for what seemed to be a constantly shifting cloak. The model rotated on a vertical axis, the folds of the cloak billowing outward.

"We… we don't only do simulations and computing," her father began. "In fact, that's only a tiny portion of our company. The majority of our resources go into researching and developing customized weapons for superpowered people."

"You mean for superheroes?" Elsa asked, her eyes wide.

Her father clicked a button. The cloak suddenly expanded outward, the folds breaking apart and reorganizing into black-scaled armor, the proportions of the armor showing that it was clearly meant for someone massively larger than a normal human.

"And villains, too," he said. "Anyone who can pay."

Elsa blinked, pulling back. "B-but why? That's not right! ...Right?"

Her father shut the laptop screen. "Tell me, Elsa," he stated, his voice growing cold. "You are not stupid. What do you think would happen if we only sold equipment to superheroes?"

Elsa was taken aback by her father's icy tone, but she still attempted to rack her brain in search of an answer. "W-well, if you only sell to superheroes…"

"And someone found out about us," her father prompted.

"Then you'd be a target for all the villains," Elsa breathed. "You wouldn't be safe because the villains would always be trying to stop you.

He nodded. "Because then we wouldn't be neutral. Because we wouldn't benefit the other, more villainous side. If we only supplied weapons and armor to the 'good guys' we'd be hunted down by the villains. By promising to remain neutral and fulfill all requests based upon monetary payment, neither side will bother us."

Elsa felt like she was missing something, like she wasn't seeing a large portion of the overall situation, but she nodded anyway. "I understand," she said.

"Do you?" her father asked. He leaned back and folded his arms. "Just because we're neutral doesn't mean that we don't have enemies."

"Oh, stop that," her mother said, coming down the stairs. "You're scaring her."

Her father let out a tense breath and rubbed his eyes. "I'm sorry, Elsa. This situation showed me how unprepared I was, and I'm more shaken than I thought I would be."

He ran a hand through his hair. "The main issue is what we're going to do now." He glanced at her mother and she nodded. "We have contingency plans for this sort of situation. It's not going to be safe around here any longer if people are targeting you and Anna, so we're going to send you two to live with your mother's sister's family."

"Aunt Westergard?" Elsa asked. "Doesn't she have thirteen sons or something?"

Her father nodded. "That's the one. They can keep you safe while we run the company, while we make sure that our enemies—"

"No."

Her father looked incredulously at her. "No?"

"No," Elsa said, her face cold and emotionless. "I'm not going to run away. I'm not going to be helpless again."

"Elsa, it's dangerous," her father pleaded with her. "You don't know what you're getting into."

Elsa shook her head. "I was useless this afternoon, Father. I couldn't protect Anna at all. But I saw you and Mother fight back. You need to teach me. I can help you run the company, learn what you do, and I'll be able to do something. I'm not going to sit here and wait for someone to try to kidnap me again."

_And I'm not going to let Anna get hurt again, _she vowed to herself. _I will protect her._

"Yes," her mother said, slowly nodding. "This could work."

"An heir…" her father muttered. "Truthfully, we did not want to burden you with the responsibility of managing our business. But if you're so adamant about this…"

"A choice," her mother said forcefully, grabbing Elsa's hands and staring into her eyes. "Are you sure you want this?"

Elsa closed her eyes for a moment, gathering her resolve, then stared back into her mother's eyes. "Yes."

"Then it is decided," her father said, standing up. "Anna stays here. We'll lock the gates. We'll limit the number of people that are allowed near the house. We'll hire guards and increase the security."

"No more public school," her mother said, also standing up and pulling out her phone. "We'll hire tutors for every subject, we'll train you specifically to manage this company and survive whatever the world throws at you."

Elsa was a little breathless as her parents instituted this rapid series of changes. She had decided something huge, something momentous, and she didn't know if Anna would accept it.

_It doesn't matter_, she told herself. _She needs to stay safe no matter what_.

Her father was turning to leave, but he suddenly stopped and looked back at her.

"Your first lesson," he growled, something ruthless and predatory in his gaze. "You saw what happened this afternoon. You saw what we did. Show no mercy. Conceal your emotions. Don't let them show."

He began walking out of the room. "Or else you might be the corpse in the snow."


	2. Chapter 2

Anna kicked at the table and folded her arms, her foot hitting the wood with a dull thump.

"I want to go to school," she pouted. "I want to be with my friends!"

Her parents sighed and looked at each other.

"It's not safe," her father said. "Don't you remember what happened on Saturday?"

There was a pause.

"Well," Anna said slowly, drawing out the word. "Not really."

"What?"

She patted her leg. "Something poked me here, and I got shocked, right?"

Her parents blinked. "You don't remember anything else?" her mother asked.

Anna scrunched up her face, thinking. "Nope."

"Are you—"

"That's fine," her father interrupted. "You might be better off not remembering. But you were nearly kidnapped while you were out playing with Elsa."

Anna looked doubtful. "Really?"

"Yes, really."

She looked down at her lap, her legs swinging as she kicked at her chair. It only took her a few seconds to make her decision.

She looked back up, her jaw set stubbornly. "I don't care. I don't want to lose my friends just because some stupid person tried to kidnap me. I don't want to be stuck at home. I want to go to school and play with my friends! "

"No," her mother said firmly. "You are not going to public school. We're still haven't figured out the person behind the kidnapping attempt, so you're not going to be safe."

"Fine," Anna said sullenly. "Then I'm not going to try to learn anything. You can't force me to learn."

Her father let out a noise of exasperation as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alright, you win."

"What? We can't—"

He raised his hand, stopping her mother's protests. "We don't have time to deal with her stubbornness. Our priority is finding and eliminating our enemies, not arguing with Anna when she's dead set on something."

Anna tried to control her grin and failed miserably.

"I'm going to assign some people to watch over you," he told her. "They'll remain out of sight unless you're in danger. Instead of taking the school bus, you'll have someone to drive you to school and back home. You are not allowed to go anywhere with friends after school, nor are you allowed to go on field trips."

Anna's enthusiasm faded slightly. "Aww."

"Just for now," her father explained. "The situation might change once we settle a few things, okay?"

"Okay," Anna agreed, nodding.

"What else?" her father murmured to himself. "Oh, yes. I'm going to put tracking devices on your backpack and clothes and I'll get you a cell phone for emergencies."

"Sure," Anna said, eager to comply. "When am I going back to school?"

"When you've recovered," her mother said.

Anna immediately hopped off of her chair. "There's nothing wrong with me," she declared, scrambling onto the table and running around. "See? So can I go to school tomorrow?"

"Get off of the table," her father sternly, a small smile showing his lack of real anger. "Seeing as how you're so full of energy, I don't see why not."

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Anna shouted, giggling. She immediately ran off toward her room, eager to begin packing her school supplies.

Her mother and father were getting up from their chairs when Elsa's head poked through the doorway.

"Father?"

He turned toward her, his phone in his hand. "Yes?"

Elsa looked a little confused. "Why did you let Anna go to school? Didn't you say that we were going to be tutored at home?"

Her father sighed. "Were you eavesdropping? Is your session over?"

Elsa nodded. "I overheard you talking to Anna about letting her go back to school, and I wanted to see if she was okay."

"You know how stubborn she can be," her mother said. "I didn't want to let her go, but your father has decided otherwise." She glared at him.

Elsa fidgeted, tugging on her braid, as she realized that Anna would be away from her for a good portion of the day. "If I asked if I could also go to school, what would you say?"

"Anna will be fine," her father stated, his eyes suddenly cold and piercing. "Dismiss such trivial matters from your mind. Do you doubt the safeguards I have put into place?"

Her mother coughed. "What your father means to say is that you are, for the lack of a better term, the heir. You are the future of our company, our family. You have the courage, ability and willpower to see it through. Anna, on the other hand, is…"

"A spare," her father finished. "And cease your nervous tic."

Elsa stopped pulling on her braid and stuffed her hands into her pockets. "Anna's not a… a_ spare_," Elsa protested.

"We love you both," her mother assured her, "but sometimes we need to prioritize certain things over others."

Her father nodded. "Sacrifices must be made."

"And Anna's personality must be considered, too. In the long run Anna wouldn't be able to stand being isolated at home. She has many friends and thrives upon social contact."

Elsa nearly tugged her braid again as she tried to reconcile her feelings, only barely managing to stop herself. "Okay," she said reluctantly. "I understand."

* * *

Elsa let out a sigh of relief as she heard the front door slam shut. It had been over a week since the incident, and she was still too afraid to confront Anna. What was she supposed to say? _Sorry I let you get kidnapped. Can I still be your big sister?_

Elsa just didn't want to see the disappointment and distrust in Anna's eyes after her miserable failure.

So she only came out of her room after Anna had left for school each morning. When Anna got back in the afternoon, Elsa would make excuses about tutoring lessons and projects and lock herself in. Every time Anna asked her if they could play together, Elsa just told her to go away, her voice frosty even as her heart cracked.

But she learned to conceal her emotions, to steady her quivering voice, and the attempts grew fewer.

"We're leaving for work, Elsa," her father shouted from downstairs. "I want you to look through the notes I left you after your lessons are over."

"Yes, Father," Elsa said softly, mostly to herself.

The door slammed shut.

Elsa slid off her bed, her throat a little dry and her head beginning to pound as she headed toward Anna's room. Despite her attempts to harden her heart and ignore Anna, she still missed her sister's happiness and warmth.

_I still can't figure out how she manages to slide around so much,_ Elsa thought to herself as her feet padded over the wooden floorboards.

The door to Anna's room was wide open, her clothes strewn haphazardly over the floor. Elsa was careful not to disturb the piles of clothing as she made her way to Anna's bed and sat down, sighing. Grabbing a fistful of the blanket on the bed, she wrapped it around herself and let her mind drift off.

Anna seemed to always have boundless energy. At least once a week she would sneak into Elsa's room and poke her awake so they could play together. Each time Elsa would try to resist her attempts at making her get up, but she would always succumb after Anna jumped on top of her and began begging.

But now Elsa's door was always locked, and the nightly visitations had stopped.

Elsa opened her eyes, the clock telling her she had dozed off for only a few minutes. She slowly extricated herself from the blanket and attempted to place it back into its original position. A small doll fell over as Elsa's hand brushed against it, a second doll nearly obscured by the blanket's new position.

Elsa's throat tightened and her vision blurred as she held the two dolls that were clearly meant to be Anna and herself. One had blonde hair and a blue dress, while the other had red-orange hair and a green dress.

Elsa briefly entertained the idea of taking Anna's doll, but she dismissed the thought and put the little figurine back into its original position.

_Conceal, don't feel_, Elsa repeated to herself. She had her tutoring lesson in less than ten minutes and couldn't afford to be distracted.

She made her way out of Anna's room without looking back, then ran downstairs to grab a bite to eat before she began her day.

* * *

The car hummed along the road, its black paint scheme nearly blending in with the dying sun.

"Where are we?" Elsa asked.

"Elsa, observe your surroundings," her father said sternly. "You need to always know where you are and how you arrived there. A sense of direction is key to staying safe and alive."

Elsa looked out the tinted windows, the rough gravel road barely visible in the dimming daylight. A few miles back, her father had made a turn off of an asphalt road and onto a smaller gravel road marked with a "No Trespassing" sign. Trees lined the side of the road, the gravel path apparently running through a forest.

Her father interrupted her train of thought. "I'll get you a map later, Elsa. We have a more pressing topic to discuss."

"Okay."

"What do you think about magic?"

"Huh?"

"Magic, superpowers, whatever you wish to call them. What is a normal person, like you or me, supposed to do against them?"

Elsa thought for a moment. "Guns? We can still shoot them, right?"

Her father nodded. "Conventional weaponry is good. But what if your opponent is bulletproof and unable to be injured by your bullets?"

"I-I'm not sure," Elsa admitted, as she wondered how she would defeat someone that strong. "Maybe find some way to outsmart them? Get some magic weapons of my own?"

"Most superheroes and villains aren't stupid," her father pointed out. "Getting magical weapons is a good idea, but most magical weapons work because the users have innate magic within them."

He paused and shook his head. "No, the best option is either stealth, range, or tactical retreat."

Elsa mentally crossed out the second option in her head. She wasn't going to retreat if someone's life was in danger. "Stealth?"

"Stay hidden and you'll be able to sneak up on them. Even the strongest supers can be caught off-guard."

"That makes sense," Elsa agreed.

A building loomed into view ahead of them, the gray concrete unassuming. The only oddity about it was its placement in the forest, a circle of trees surrounding the four-story facility.

"You'll receive lessons in various fighting techniques and weapon usage," her father said as he pulled out a gray plastic card. "Our line of work is too heavily involved with supers for us to stay safe without some tricks up our sleeves."

Elsa was reminded of how pitifully weak she was against a normal human adult armed with tasers.

"I also expect you to remain in top physical condition, although your training sessions will undoubtedly ensure that," her father continued.

The car came to a stop in front of a thick metal gate. Her father rolled down the window and waved his card over the scanner on the lock, then allowed it to scan his face and gave it a voice command. The gate slide down into the ground, allowing for the car to pass through before sliding back up and closing.

"Although we'll try to avoid her, you still might be encountering your first supervillain today. She has a habit of popping up in unexpected places. I want you to analyze her mannerisms and behavior and organize a list of possible weaknesses and strengths by tomorrow. Keep note of any weapons or defensive equipment you see and make another list of things that may be effective against her or usable by her."

Elsa fidgeted a little. "Can I have some paper and pen to write some notes while we're in there?"

Her father chuckled. "No. Get used to organizing your mind and taking mental notes. Reliance on writing things down will only lead to security leaks and weaknesses being exposed. Important information must be concealed, and the best way to do that is to store the information in your head, not on a flash drive or notebook that could easily be stolen."

The car purred down a dirt path as it headed for a garage near the side of the building. Following her father's instructions, Elsa looked around and noticed something odd.

"Father?"

"Yes?"

"How come the only security this place has is a metal gate? Couldn't a super just climb or jump or fly over it?"

Her father followed a set of security procedures similar to what he had done at the gate to open the garage door. "That isn't the only defense we have. The gate is there to keep up appearances and to act as a deterrent to normal humans. I've installed many other defensive measures specifically designed for supers."

He parked the car into the garage and removed the key from the ignition. "However, that was a good observation. I want you to remain just as sharp for the duration of this little tour."

"Yes, Father," Elsa responded as she climbed out of the car.

A door in the garage led directly to the facility. As her father headed toward it, Elsa right behind him, the door split down the middle and slid into the walls. They passed a reception desk with little fanfare, the receptionist giving them a small nod before turning back to her monitor.

"That's Gerda," her father remarked as they passed by. "She helps manage the company with Kai, who isn't here right now. You'll be seeing them more often if I'm not around."

The inside of the building seemed typical of a software company, with rows of cubicles and muted colors filling up the interior. The rough dark blue carpet and fluorescent lighting completed the look.

None of the employees walking around gave them a second glance as they went about their jobs. Most of them were packing up and getting ready to leave, a few of them staying overtime to finish their tasks.

Elsa followed her father into one of the hallways that had vending machines lining the walls. Four elevators were at the end, all of them with a single arrow above them indicating that they headed toward the upper floors.

Her father hit the call button and waited patiently for an elevator. "I hope you're taking note of your surroundings," her father reminded her.

Elsa, in fact, had been, her eyes roaming around and taking in every detail and trying to commit them to memory. The place had looked like a normal workplace so far, and Elsa was curious as to where the actual research and development took place.

Her question was answered when her father stepped into the elevator and slid the key into the slot underneath the floor selection buttons.

"Father and daughter."

The entire panel of floor buttons lit green in acknowledgement. The elevator lurched a little, as though it were shifting gears, then began its downward descent.

"The system will recognize you," her father said. "If you ever need to access this place on your own, you'll know what to do. The employees have been paid not to ask questions, as required for a business of this nature, but you should still stay out of their sight to avoid spreading rumors."

Elsa was a little intimidated by the fact that the elevator was still going down, but she tried not to show it. "I understand," she said as confidently as she could. "So, uh, how far down are we going?"

"This lab is only a few hundred feet underground. Our public office is in downtown Arendale, which is where I conduct business for both sides of the company. I'll take you there sometime in the next month."

Elsa nodded, barely listening as she attempted to calm her breathing. Her chest felt a little tight, and she hoped her father wouldn't notice that her hands were clenched.

_Conceal it. Don't feel it. Don't let it show. Any sign of being nervous or intimidated will only lead to weaknesses being exposed and taken advantage of._

It seemed like an eternity before the elevator stopped. Elsa was glad the door was wide enough for both of them to step through as she quickly stepped outside and took a breath of cool air.

The first thing she noticed was the bright white lighting. The lab had a sterile color scheme that resembled a hospital or a chemical laboratory, with a wide hallway and a high ceiling that rose above them, no reception desk or anything resembling it in sight.

Her father began walking forward. "The staff here is always at a minimum. Security is essential. Researchers who wish to retire are paid handsomely and contractually bound to stay silent. Those who cannot keep their mouths shut, well, more… drastic measures are taken."

Elsa resisted the urge to shudder at the implications even as she realized that her father's reasoning was perfectly rational. She mentally berated herself for being so weak and squared her shoulders.

Half a minute later, they reached an intersection where the hallway branched off into a three corridors, each consisting of a series of interconnected rooms.

"Testing, building, and if required, coding or enchantment," her father said, pointing them out. "They are separated in order to minimize interference."

"Which way are we going today?" Elsa asked.

Her father rubbed his chin, looking contemplative. "The client currently being _examined_ in the testing room is a bit dangerous. I'll show you the –"

He was interrupted by a distant rumble down the "testing" hallway, the sound reverberating through the walls.

"Change of plans," her father said immediately, pivoting and heading down the hallway. "Stay close and stay behind me."

Elsa wanted to ask him what was going on, but her father had the look on his face that warned her not to interrupt. They jogged down the corridors, her father ignoring the doors to their sides as he headed toward the end of the hallway.

A few minutes and a few turns later, they reached a large set of metal doors that were tall and wide enough to comfortably allow entrance to multiple vehicles simultaneously. The thick metal plates began to glow a distressing cherry-red color, the air around them distorting due to the heat.

"Get down," her father shouted, slipping on a pair of white gloves.

Elsa dutifully obeyed him, feeling a little guilty as she crouched and placed his body between herself and the door.

The doors blew off less than a second later, some of the larger chunks heading directly toward the pair. Elsa fell backwards onto her bottom, too frightened to even scream as she instinctively raised her arms to cover her face. Her father deftly blocked a plate larger than himself, stopping it with his palms and then slamming it into the ground. The green fireball that billowed out of the opening a fraction of a second later exploded against the makeshift shield, her father holding it in place to keep it from being launched back.

The fireball dissipated after hitting the shield and flowing around it, the hallway growing noticeably warmer. Elsa slowly got to her feet and began reorganizing her scattered mind.

_Where are the fire alarms? _She wondered.

Her father smoothly rose from his crouched position, not a single hair out of place as he straightened his gloves. He frowned.

"Maleficent…" he began.

"_So sorry_," someone responded, the voice echoing in the enclosed space.

A flicker of green filled the doorway before fading, and a woman with a black and purple cape stepped into view. It took Elsa a moment to realize that her cape covered her entire body, the shifting garment swirling upward to wreath most of her face in green-tinted darkness, her amber eyes the only visible feature. She held a golden scepter topped with an orb, and a gold ring set with a large sapphire decorated one of her fingers.

A man in a heat-resistant suit ran outside, a fire-extinguisher in his hand. He paused awkwardly for a second as he realized there was nothing on fire in the hallway and ran back inside.

Elsa's father sighed. "You're paying for the doors."

"Of course," Maleficent grinned. "And I see you've brought your… daughter?"

"She's learning to run the company," he explained, beckoning Elsa forward. "Elsa, this is Maleficent. She's one of our more frequent customers."

Elsa smiled politely, giving her a small wave as she willed herself to remember the information from the notes her father had told her to read. If she remembered correctly, Maleficent was classified as a strong spellcaster and shapeshifter. More specifically, she had been responsible for a giant briar patch that had taken weeks for the city to clean up, and she could transform into a dragon that could breathe magical and thus incredibly hot green flames. The cloak around her had kept her real identity a secret from all of the sources her father had interviewed. However, her voice sounded youthful to Elsa, so Elsa decided that Maleficent was probably less than thirty, maybe even younger.

Maleficent's smile grew wider as she proffered a hand in greeting. "Hello there, little girl."

At her father's nod, Elsa grabbed her hand and returned the greeting. "I-it's nice to meet you," Elsa said, cursing herself for stuttering. She was sure her father had noticed.

But to her surprise, he gave her a tiny, proud smile. It took Elsa a moment to remember that Maleficent's file had also included that fact that she had murdered, bribed, and blackmailed countless others.

A sick, sinking feeling filled her stomach even as she tried to keep it from showing on her face.

"I'm sure you know already, but I'm Maleficent. I suppose I'll be seeing you around more often?"

"I guess so," Elsa answered cautiously.

Maleficent looked into her eyes for another moment, then released her hand and turned to her father. "You'll get the money by tomorrow. I apologize for the inconvenience."

"I also expect recompense for the business that I'll lose during the downtime for repairs."

"Of course," Maleficent answered smoothly. "Have you made any headway on obtaining the materials that I require?"

Her father shook his head. "I'm afraid not. The things you required were a little more exotic this time."

Maleficent shrugged. "Ah, well, I can wait."

A spell flared into existence in front of her, the faint green circle nearly invisible in the harsh lighting.

Maleficent examined it for a moment, then turned back toward the two. "I need to go now. Goodnight, Mr. Bell."

And with that, she tapped her staff against the ground.

Nothing happened.

Maleficent blinked. "You have wards? They weren't here last time around," she said accusingly.

Her father's expression didn't change. "It appears that they are indeed worth their exorbitant price."

Maleficent hesitated a bit before speaking. "I don't suppose that you could tell me who you bought them from…?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to attempt to eliminate the competition? And no, I can't. Although, if it makes you feel better, I _can _tell you that they're a strictly neutral group. Payments for services."

"Just like you."

Her father shrugged. "If there's nothing else to discuss, I'll escort you to the exit."

Maleficent rolled her eyes but followed him anyway. "Your annoying wards are going to make me late," she grumbled under her breath.

Her father ignored Maleficent. "Elsa, why don't you explore the lab a bit by yourself while we're gone? Just don't touch anything and make sure to stay on the marked paths."

"Yes, Father," Elsa said obediently.

She watched the two of them to walk down the hallway and turn a corner before she did anything.

The twisted and warped ruins of the metal plates surrounding her, Elsa stepped forward and through the open doors…


End file.
